BIKDS OF MINNESOTA. 161 



she will bound up with a whirl, and putting a tree between 

 herself and the invader, flies half a mile away before alight- 

 ing on the limb of a tree in safety. 



Every chick will follow her the next day after the last one 

 is out of the shell, and they have all become nearly full grown 

 before the male resumes his place at the head of the family. 



The covey remain together until pairing time in the next 

 spring when all the members are supposed to pair and set up 

 for themselves. 



After the most careful observations I am entirely unable to 

 decide how the sound of the drumming is produced. Like the 

 question hoiu a bird flies, the answer is yet in the shadowy 

 distance if it has itself ever taken wing yet. I have heard all 

 of the arguments pro and con. and know from personal obser- 

 vation that not one of them will ' 'hold water. " Yet it seems 

 strange that phenomena so obvious to both the senses of 

 hearing and seeing and under the observation of so many 

 critical observers cannot be explained unanswerably. 



It is a very universally distributed species, though less 

 abundant in those portions of the State that are occupied by 

 the Canada Grouse.* Everywhere else, as above intimated, 

 where the hunters have not ruthlessly "cleaned it out," (to 

 use their own expressive language,) the Ruffed Grouse is 

 abundant in its characteristic haunts. 



From the southern line of the state to the Lake of the Woods 

 in the extreme north, I have the most reliable reports of the 

 species.** 



Its drumming has been heard in Fillmore county as early as 

 the 28th of March, and in Hennepin county on the first of 

 April, from which I infer that the nesting may in some cases 

 be earlier than above given. Their patent diet of seeds, ber- 

 ries, grapes, and insects in summer, and ' 'the leaves of ever- 

 greens" in winter needs no repetition, but I have nowhere seen 

 any mention of the buds of the ironwood, (Ostrya virginica), 

 which constitutes almost their exclusive food in winter here. 

 Their general habits otherwise do not differ from those of the 

 species in other sections of its distribution. Farmers would 

 think better of them after examining the contents of the 

 stomachs of as large a number as I have at various seasons of 

 the year. They are as partial to most species of insects as are 

 domestic fowls. 



*F. L. Washburn's Red River VaUey. Thief River, snd MiUe Lacs Rep. 

 **Dr. Hvoslef and Kennicotf s Lake of the Woods Rep. 



